Fishing with Lance and Kim... May 15, 2023

[Capt Juls]

I opened the back door to the deck this morning, and was hit in the face with a NE wind...ugh. I checked the iWindSurf app, and it showed it was only blowing 9mph at South Bass at 3am, but that the forecast was showing 12-13mph until around noon. I figured it was doable. Not the greatest of conditions, but not bad enough to stay home today.

I was picking my crew up at Bay's Edge Condos at 5:30, so I left the house at 4:45, so I could go gas up, get ice, and hit Hi Way Bait for some crawlers (for my worm burners on the dipsies), before heading over to pick them up. I got there at 5:15, texted them that I was there, and they were ready and out the door by 5:20.


We headed over to Mazurik's to launch, and the parking lot was empty. At first, I was surprised that no one was there yet, and asked myself, "Is it too windy?" But, then I realized it was Monday, and it's always like that on a Monday. It wasn't long after getting the boat ready to launch, that more rigs started pulling in.


After letting the 400 warm up to temp, we headed to the north side of Kelly's, and to the southeast side of Gull Island Shoal. Turning the boat around to go with the waves, the Terrova was deployed, the baby Merc fired up, and the Fish Hawk dropped to depth.


Speed was set to 1.9-2.1 on the GPS, which was 1.8-1.9 on the Fish Hawk.
It lasted an hour, when it shut off due to low battery power. Note to self...put more batteries in the glove box of the boat. oops.


But, it didn't matter...I just kept the GPS speed where I thought it needed to be.


Bandits behind Off Shore boards caught at 100, 85, and 30 back. Colors that caught were the Red Headed Wonder Bread, Blue Chrome, and Chrome Barbie.


The worm burners caught the other three walleye, and the catfish. Dipsies set on the zero, one, and three settings....zero at 27 and 35, the one setting at 40, and the three setting at 47 and 59.


Lance and Kim booked this trip to learn trolling techniques, and "If we catch fish, great, but it's not a priority", said Lance, so that took all the pressure off. We just had fun. It's a good thing it wasn't a priority, because our catch rate was bad today. We caught 6 today....not including a big catfish, that Lance masterfully was able to release before getting it to the boat. We also had a half dozen crawlers stolen from the worm burners, too, so had we caught those fish, too, we would have had a better catch. Oh, well....lucky fish!


Lance had questions, and I answered them the best I could. At the end of the trip, I asked if they learned what they needed to know, and they both said, "Yes". They have their own Vexus boat here this week, so they will be practicing what they learned, and I have no doubt that they will be successful, and have more confidence now, to do it on their own.


My crew for tomorrow, called and cancelled while we were fishing today, stating a "bad tooth" that can't wait. I know very well, what a bad tooth feels like, and how it can ruin the best of plans....so, they are going to come back in September, for a perch trip instead.


My Wednesday crew cancelled, due to his wife's eye doctor's appt, because she won't be able to drive, so he will have to take her....like a good husband should.
He's one of my regulars and has another day scheduled in June, so I'll see him then.


I was scheduled off on Thursday, so I won't be back out until Friday morning. I will get to play with the pups, go bluegill fishing, and get a round of golf in, on my time off. I'll be ready to get back on the water by Friday.


Stay tuned...


Capt Juls